World Badminton Championships: PV Sindhu says 'it was just not her day' vs Okuhara
Sindhu lost the World Badminton final against Japanese shuttler Nozomi Okuhara 19-21,22-20,20-22
Hyderabad: Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, who had to settle for silver at the World Badminton Championships, admitted that she fought really hard and gave it her all in the summit showdown against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara but it was just not her day.
The match, which was termed by many as one of the best matches in world badminton, spanned one hour and 49 minutes. While both players gave their all in search of the gold medal, it was Okuhara who edged out the Indian in a pulsating clash in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday.
Taking full advantage of her height and jump smashes, the fourth-seeded Indian dominated the first game and maintained the lead till first 14 points.
Overpowering the long rallies, the Japanese levelled the lead soon with her strong stamina and won the first game 21-19.
The Indian shuttler started the second game also on a positive note and took the score to 11-8 till the break. But she trailed in the other half and Okuhara soon brought down the lead and caught Sindhu on 12.
Catching up in the game, Sindhu managed three game point opportunities, but failed to convert all. In a hard fought rally, she finally succeeded in turning the second game in her favour 22-20.
Struggling physically in the last game, Sindhu started to lose, giving the lead to the Japanese. Taking hold of the game again, the Indian player ended the first half 11-9.
Showing some best badminton, the players took the last game to 20-20. But Sindhu went down in the decider 22-20.
"It was a good match because it was anybody's game and it was not just my day," Sindhu said during the press conference after her return to India on Tuesday.
"From the first point, there were long rallies. It was not something that I could have consumed energy. There was nothing as such that I could have played in the last. Every rally was equally tough," she added.
Sindhu, who has been in a rampaging form ever since her Rio Olympics final defeat to Spain's Carolina Marin, had earlier clinched her maiden Super Series Premier title at China Open last year before winning the India Super Series in April. She also won the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold January.